Riverkeeper Submits Critical Questions About Indian Point to New York Governor Cuomo in Advance of NRC Meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Tina Posterli 516-526-9371, [email protected]

Ossining, NY — March 21, 2011 — For almost a decade, Riverkeeper has been fighting to close Indian Point and we have worked with Governor Andrew Cuomo on this effort since 2007 when he was Attorney General. We appreciate and support the Governor’s initiative in calling for an immediate review of Indian Point by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the urgency he has demonstrated by arranging a meeting with the agency on such quick notice.

In the spirit of cooperation Governor Cuomo has always shown Riverkeeper, we have submitted questions for his staff to address to the NRC at tomorrow’s meeting and have asked that they urge the agency to make the answers to these questions public, given the overwhelming interest and concern now focused on this plant.
Highlights of the questions Riverkeeper submitted include:

• Given Indian Point’s age and numerous serious operational problems, including an unusual number of unplanned shut-downs; two major transformer fires; leaks from corroded pipes and refueling areas; and overloaded and leaking spent fuel pools, isn’t the plant’s ability to withstand an earthquake or other disaster further compromised? Will the NRC consider both the plant’s design and its present condition in assessing the risk of a catastrophic accident due to earthquake?
• What are the specifics behind NRC’s promise to investigate Indian Point’s safety and emergency preparedness in the event of a natural disaster, accident, or attack?
• In the wake of NRC Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko’s directive for all Americans within 50 miles of the Fukushima plant to evacuate the area, will NRC evaluate the feasibility of evacuating the 20 million Americans who live within 50 miles of Indian Point? If it cannot be proved that such an evacuation can be done under a range of reasonable scenarios for possible prevailing conditions at the time of emergency, shouldn’t Indian Point be closed immediately to protect public health and safety?

“Andrew Cuomo knows the dangers posed by Indian Point,” said Paul Gallay, Executive Director and Hudson Riverkeeper. “His Administration’s meeting with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday will reveal whether the NRC understands those dangers too or whether the Commission is simply going to play apologist for Indian Point – America’s most dangerous nuclear power plant. We all count on Governor Cuomo’s team to bring home the truth. As to Andrew Cuomo’s stated goal of closing Indian Point, we say: ‘make it happen,’ Governor!”

Read Riverkeeper’s letter in its entirety